Come Jan. 1, Aurora drivers will be free to cruise through a red light without a camera flashing and capturing their cars violating the law.

With an overwhelming two-thirds majority, Aurora voters on Tuesday elected to do away with red-light cameras at 10 intersections throughout the city.

Some city officials, however, are now worried about where they will find critical funding for Aurora organizations that benefit from the ticketing revenue.

The red-light program, which has been around since 2005, raised more than $2.4 million in 2017 on over 46,000 tickets, according to data provided by the city of Aurora. A portion of that money, nearly $500,000, goes to organizations related to mental health and detox programs, domestic violence services and child abuse and advocacy groups. Another $288,000 goes toward victim services such as crisis intervention and health services.

“These programs are vital,” Bob Roth, Aurora city councilman, said. “People didn’t understand some of the significance of what this meant.”

In addition to the revenue raised, Roth cited safety as another concern.

“Having the cameras,” he said, “helps form good habits and get rids of bad habits.”

But data from the city show that total crashes at these intersections have actually gone up over the past five years.

Total crashes have increased to 80 in 2017 from 65 in 2013, a 23 percent bump. Injuries from these crashes have also increased to 23 in 2017 from eight in 2013. The number of crashes with no injuries has stayed relatively constant over the five years.

The Aurora Police Department did not take an official position on the vote.

Aurora mayor Mayor Bob LeGare said in a statement that although he was “surprised the red light ballot question failed by such a large margin,” he was not disappointed, since it’s been a “controversial issue for city council every year and has been a constant source of discussion at the state level.”

“The voters have spoken to put an end to that controversy in Aurora,” he continued.

After the red-light cameras officially go away in January, police will have to adjust, Hummel said.

“We don’t have a crystal ball as to what sort of impact this might have on public safety,” he said.

Other cities in the metro area have also had red light cameras removed in past years.

Sam Tabachnik is a breaking news reporter for The Denver Post. He previously wrote for NBC News, the Washington Post and the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A Boston native, he's not afraid to root for Tom Brady in the Mile High City.

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